GFI Pedal Steel Guitars...

...have high quality features, a number of which are unique. All maple die board is used for steel guitar bodies. Die board is normally used as a backing plate on punch presses to stamp out parts of various materials, including steel. All plies are maple and laminated with an epoxy base, which makes it stronger than solid maple. Unlike ordinary plywood, die board has a natural resonance that is far superior to solid maple and more consistent from piece to piece.

Frames and most metal body parts are epoxy-coated. This provides a hard protective coating that eliminates the need for polishing. Frames, pedal boards, key heads and necks are brush finished and coated with a clear epoxy. Expo Models are coated with Hammer Tone Gray only, and Student Models are coated with Wrinkle Black only. The frames are inlaid and the body tops are covered with a long-lasting scratch-resistant mica type material.

Pickups are George L double coil humbuckers made to G.F.I. specifications. The GFI-II, standard on all models except 12 strings, is comparable to a slightly heavier version of the E-66. They provide a full frequency range with excellent clarity and note separation. 12 Strings are equipped with the E-66.

Grover keys are standard on Professional Models. 12 String Ultra models are available with the Keyless Tuning System only. Student Models have keys made by Ping.

All aluminum parts are extruded and machined. No castings are used. GFI uses only stainless steel screws for assembly. Pull rods and pedal rods are made from stainless steel.

Pro Model changers are all-pull, triple raise, double lower with super hard aircraft aluminum bridge sections that support the changer shaft between every finger. The changer finger is where the ball end of the string is anchored and is the main point of contact for the string's vibration to resonate into the wood body. Most steel guitar companies, as well as GFI, use aluminum for this part.

GFI’s stainless steel finger is manufactured by a unique process by which powdered metal is formed under extreme pressure and high heat to create a part much harder than its original starting material. The end result is a finger with much less internal friction, less internal undesired movement in the changer, and a harder bridge surface which is much more resistant to scratching and indentations by the strings. There are sound benefits as well, including an increase in overall volume and better note separation in chords while adding a brightness without sacrificing overall fullness of tone. Stainless steel fingers are standard on new Ultra steels, and available as an option on new Expo steels.

Student Model changers are single finger and limited to the standard Nashville E9th tuning and setup.

Bell cranks have 7 positions with only 1/8" between hole centers to allow for better balance of string pulls.

Lower string profile (1" above the body), combined with an aluminum support rib on double necks and models with a pad, provide much greater stability and minimum detuning.

Fretboards are silk screened on Mylar with a non reflective finish. 24-inch scale is standard.

The pedal board and pedals are unmatched by any other model on the market today. All pedals are mounted on Delrin bearings and attached to an extruded pedal board. Pedal to pedal rod connectors attach to Delrin shafts on the pedals eliminating metal to metal contact. A small thumbscrew rides in a channel on the shaft to hold the rod in place. Pedal numbers are stamped on the connectors.

Knee levers are rounded for comfort. Adjustable knee lever "Wing" is standard on D-10 Right Knee Right. Knee lever stops are mounted on their own brackets to eliminate crossrod eflection. All pedal and knee lever movement is smooth and accurate. All stops are solid and positive.

Our legs are also an extrusion of 3/16" thick aluminum wall. When assembled, the steel stands at a standard height of 26 1/4" from floor to the bottom of the back rail. Taller or lower heights are available. Front legs are fixed in length while back legs can be adjusted plus or minus about 1/2 inch for leveling. This leg assembly provides greater stability at about 2/3 the weight of conventional steel legs.

"Ultra" models additionally feature one piece key heads, deflection minimizing crossrod brackets with Teflon bushings, adjustable changer springs, and an improved knee lever system.

"Expo" Models additionally feature classic wrap-around styling, angled frame rails, and have all the mechanical features of the "Ultra" except there are no deflection minimizing crossrod brackets on the D-10 E.

The GFI Student Model has been highly underestimated. It has the same tone environment as our Pro Models and more and more of our Pro Model features have found their way into the Student Model as it becomes more cost effective to keep fewer different parts on hand. It is capable of the complete Standard Nashville E9 set up with 3 pedals and 4 knee levers. The sound and performance is comparable to many Pro Model steels. The GFI Student Model Steel is probably the best pedal steel guitar value available today.